Using dlPAG-evoked immobile behavior in animal-robotics navigation

Objectives To investigate the Immobile behavior evoked by dorsolateral Periaqueductal gray (dlPAG) stimulation and its application in animal-robotics. Methods Adult Sprague Dawley rats were chronically implanted Stimulating electrodes in both sides of medial forebrain bundle (MFB), whisker barrel fields of left and right somatosensory cortices (SI) and dlPAG area. Consisted in holding constant amplitude at 10v, with 1.0ms pulse duration but varying the electrical stimulation frequency through its interpulse intertrial (IPI), the electrical stimulation was delivered to dlPAG to trigger immobile behavior. The M FB stimulation followed dlPAG stimulation with different intervals to investigate the influence of MFB on the dlPAG-evoked immobile behavior. Results The shorting of IPI or the lengthening stimulation time produced increasing immobile time, and finally escaped behavior. The MFB stimulation remarkably reduced the freezing time length (p<0.01). Conclusion With self-customized wirelessly navigation control system, motor status of animal-robotics can be switched between motion and motionlessness by stimulating PAG or MFB during the navigation task.